General Updates and News - Page 47

Dmajackson · #**921** Posted **Feb 8, 2010, 8:56 PM**

We have new information on multiple restoration/renovation projects in the Barrington Street HCD.

http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/100209ca1041.pdf

Detailed in the document are projects for the following buildings in brackets I put the future uses for the buildings;

- Green Lantren Building (1st floor commercial/entertainment. 2nd floor office, 3rd-5th floor apartments (thirteen total)).

- Freemason's Lodge (commercial/office).

- Colwell Building (work done in 2008).

haligonia · #**922** Posted **Feb 8, 2010, 10:57 PM**

There are a series of meetings to be held in regards to a proposed cultural centre to be built with the new Bedford high school.(Something like the Bella Rose at Hfx West) They will be held on February 15, March 3, March 4 and March 8 at the Sackville
lions club, the st margarets centre, the Bedford legion hall and the old fall river fire hall respectively,

someone123 · #**923** Posted **Feb 8, 2010, 11:11 PM**

Good to see that the Green Lantern Building will finally see some work. They're doing about $3.5M of renovations.

Another building that could use some work is the white one next to the Freemasons' Hall - I think it's called the Pacific Building or something similar.

macgregor · #**924** Posted **Feb 9, 2010, 1:54 AM**

I see that the Pacific Building / 1541 Barrington St is for sale:

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/cclod.nsf...arrington+Street+Halifax+-+new+price.pdf

I imagine that this and the other buildings on Barrington could be made into / renovated into some awesome residential.

Dmajackson · #**925** Posted **Feb 10, 2010, 8:11 PM**

The Sam the Record Man addition goes before the Design Review Committee tomorrow night so if it gets approved its possible to see construction this year depending on Starfish's priorities.

sdm · #**926** Posted **Feb 10, 2010, 9:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by macgregor

I see that the Pacific Building / 1541 Barrington St is for sale:

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/cclod.nsf...arrington+Street+Halifax+-+new+price.pdf

I imagine that this and the other buildings on Barrington could be made into / renovated into some awesome residential.

This building is already residential, albeit needing of signifcant upgrades.

Dmajackson · #**927** Posted **Feb 11, 2010, 4:46 AM**

More development planned for downtown Dartmouth
Halifax News Net
By Joanie Veitch – The Weekly News

A developer wants to build three multi-unit residential buildings, including a high-rise tower, in the Pine Street Extension and Ochterloney Street area.
Darrell Dixon, a construction manager who has overseen several projects for Shannex, first started buying some of the properties five years ago and now wants to develop four parcels of land. As part of the deal, he’s also proposing to partner with the city and the Shubenacadie Canal Commission to finish the parkland area that has been developed on the former Starr site.
“My property is adjacent to that site so it just makes sense for us all to work together to get a site plan that we’re all happy with. I want to make this an historic destination, an address that people will know and identify,” Dixon said.
At last week’s regional council meeting, councillors approved a staff recommendation to begin the process of amending the Municipal Planning Strategy for downtown Dartmouth to designate the area Dixon owns as an opportunity site under the MPS. Specifically, the parcels of land under discussion are on Ochterloney Street, next to the Greenvale building, a second site behind the former school, a third at the now-vacant laundromat, and a fourth on what is currently a parking lot beside Andrea’s Music Studio.
Referring to the site on Ochterloney Street, Dixon said he plans a building “that will be in keeping with the architecture” of the street.
The high-rise building, which he plans for the middle parcel behind the Greenvale development, will be a slender tower. “It won’t just be a square box, “ Dixon said, adding that he intends to live in the finished structure. “I’m planning a building with a lot of curves. It will have some interesting definition.”
People who attended public forums held in downtown Dartmouth as part of HRM By Design said they want more high-density residential buildings in the downtown core, noted Mitch Dickey, a city planner working on the proposed project.
But people are also very concerned with maintaining the character of the area, he added.
“This site is critical. It is behind a heritage building and faces public streets,” said Dickey. “I expect it’s going to be a highly-scrutinized process.”
The opportunity for partnering on “site improvements” on adjacent lands on the former Starr Manufacturing site and Shubenacadie Canal Corridor — both owned by the city — is an interesting component of the proposal, Dickey said. One of the improvements being discussed is the proposed “daylighting” of a section of the canal.
“Whether or not it will happen is still up in the air, but he (Dixon) could definitely help with that,” he said.
Dickey will be leading a public information meeting on the proposed development on Feb. 15 at Dartmouth High School. Dixon will also be there with some of the preliminary designs for the buildings.

[email protected]

Jstaleness · #**928** Posted **Feb 11, 2010, 1:01 PM**

This is great news. It's amazing how long it took to get these kind of developments in DT Dartmouth. Being only 7min ferry ride to Halifax it only makes sense to have high density living set behind historical downtown.

Halifax Hillbilly · #**929** Posted **Feb 11, 2010, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

The Sam the Record Man addition goes before the Design Review Committee tomorrow night so if it gets approved its possible to see construction this year depending on Starfish's priorities.

Any word on this?

Ambitious plans for Dartmouth. Even if only some of them get built it will be a big influx of people to the downtown. Good news.

Jonovision · #**930** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 3:26 PM**

From todays Herald.

Businesses welcome Agricola project
Mixed residential and commerical project ‘will be good for us’
By CHRIS LAMBIE Business Editor
Fri. Feb 12 - 6:32 AM

Some neighbouring businesses are welcoming an eight- to 10-storey commercial and resi dential development proposed for north-end Halifax.

Ontario developer Rick Tomul ka is planning to build 110 apart ments and about 1,858 square metres of commercial space at the Agricola Street location now occupied by the Nova Scotia Li quor Corp. The project is expect ed to cost between $17 million and $20 million.

“Bring it on," said Dimo Geor gakakos, who co-owns the nearby Gus’ Pub & Grill with his mother, Maria.

“If you bring more people into the neighbourhood, it’s all good." A lot of his current customers are students. “I don’t know if they’ll accommodate students in (the new development), or just, for lack of a better word, yup pies," Georgakakos said.

“But it will be good for us, no matter what, because people will filter out of there and come here." He wants to see more high-den sity development fronted by com mercial space on Agricola.

“When I was a kid, this place was booming," said the 46-year-old. “It was like Spring Garden Road down here."

The owner of Hayes Antiques,

which lies just west of Agricola Street on McCully Street, is also keen on the project.

“I’d rather have anything there . . . than a bunch of bums hanging out at the liquor store trying to get change from you and cursing at you when you don’t give them change," Greg Hayes said.

The new development may in clude a liquor store.

“But it’s going to be set back far enough to control (people beg ging)," he said. “There’s just no control now. I’m hit up every day." The area used to be home to five or six crack houses, but those are gone now, he said.

The addition of Fr e d , a gallery and cafe on Agricola Street helped the neighbourhood lot, Hayes said.

“Now at night time, there’s a lot more women walking around with baby carriages instead of women running up to your car looking for a trick," he said. “The whole area’s changing."

Claudia Pinto, owner of nearby

Cafe Aroma Latino, isn’ t opposed to the project. But she wondered Thursday if it will accommodate low-income tenants.

“If it is only for business, I don’t think that we need another build ing," Pinto said.

The developer wants to attract two anchor stores to the site, ac cording to Richard Kassner, the project’s architect.

Potential tenants include the existing liquor store, a grocery store, a pharmacy and several smaller convenience stores, Kassner said in an email.

Cafes, restaurants, a dryclean er and smaller retail boutiques might also fit the location.

“Design features will include a pedestrian patio area extension on the south-side commercial space tenancies that we expect will become the focal point of community life in the neighbour hood. We have kept the commer cial driveway access from Agri cola Street and the surface park ing on the north side," Kassner said.

“The development will be a sus tainable design, although, as yet, we haven’t determined if it will be a (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designat ed project or if it will just perform to the same standard.

“Sustainable building materi als and construction systems, ge othermal, solar, natural gas, high-performance mechanical systems and controls, selection of heating and cooling system, se lection of appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures and the level of individual tenant monitoring of their utility usage will all be con sidered for this project."

It will be the largest residential development within a five-block radius, he said.

Jonovision · #**931** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 3:28 PM**

From Halifaxnewsnet.ca

Protecting the view
City looks to secure Dartmouth viewplanes from development

Views of the harbour and Halifax waterfront from the Dartmouth Common are protected.

By Kim Moar – The Weekly News
A new study aims to identify and preserve Dartmouth viewplanes before they’re lost to development.
HRM planner Mitch Dickey said under current Dartmouth planning documents, there are only two protected viewplanes — one from the Dartmouth Common and one from the Brightwood Golf Course.
“The purpose of those is to keep building heights down so that views of the harbour and Halifax can be maintained,” Dickey said.
Dickey said the current viewplane-protection policies were established in the late 1970s, and are imprecise and confusing.
“So the question keeps coming up, ‘Where do those lines in the air over Dartmouth fall?’ We need to address that,” he said.
To help resolve the issue, HRM has issued a request for proposals for a Dartmouth viewplane study to identify shortcomings with the existing designated viewplanes, and make recommendations for new ones.
Dickey said the problem with current policies became clear last year during the approval process for the King’s Wharf development.
“That really brought it to the forefront. There were some tall buildings proposed,” he said.
In the end the King’s Wharf development proposal was approved with the tallest building consisting of 33-storeys being built outside the viewplane.
Dartmouth Centre Coun. Gloria McCluskey said protecting Dartmouth viewplanes is important, even though it has not been as hot a topic in the City of Lakes as it has been in Halifax.
“We haven’t had any tall buildings proposed to this point,” McCluskey said.
She said although downtown Dartmouth is restricted to buildings five storeys high, taller buildings have been built through development agreements.
According to the request for proposals, the proponent is identify a maximum of six new viewplanes that may be worth protecting.
Rather than simply having a single lookoff area for protected views, Dickey said the city is also looking at establishing walking vistas.
“So as people walk the view angle changes a little,” he said. “So rather than sweeping vistas, we might want to designate multiple spots along a path.”
The proponent is also required to recommend measures to protect identified viewplanes, conduct public open houses and meetings, and determine allowable building heights by city block within viewplanes.
Dickey said he hopes to get the public involved in the process in the spring, and then have Harbour East Community Council decide whether or not to change Dartmouth planning policies.
It will likely be fall before any new policies get final approval.

[email protected]

Jonovision · #**932** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 3:28 PM**

And one more from Halifaxnewsnet.ca

More development planned for downtown Dartmouth
Halifax News Net

By Joanie Veitch – The Weekly News
A developer wants to build three multi-unit residential buildings, including a high-rise tower, in the Pine Street Extension and Ochterloney Street area.
Darrell Dixon, a construction manager who has overseen several projects for Shannex, first started buying some of the properties five years ago and now wants to develop four parcels of land. As part of the deal, he’s also proposing to partner with the city and the Shubenacadie Canal Commission to finish the parkland area that has been developed on the former Starr site.
“My property is adjacent to that site so it just makes sense for us all to work together to get a site plan that we’re all happy with. I want to make this an historic destination, an address that people will know and identify,” Dixon said.
At last week’s regional council meeting, councillors approved a staff recommendation to begin the process of amending the Municipal Planning Strategy for downtown Dartmouth to designate the area Dixon owns as an opportunity site under the MPS. Specifically, the parcels of land under discussion are on Ochterloney Street, next to the Greenvale building, a second site behind the former school, a third at the now-vacant laundromat, and a fourth on what is currently a parking lot beside Andrea’s Music Studio.
Referring to the site on Ochterloney Street, Dixon said he plans a building “that will be in keeping with the architecture” of the street.
The high-rise building, which he plans for the middle parcel behind the Greenvale development, will be a slender tower. “It won’t just be a square box, “ Dixon said, adding that he intends to live in the finished structure. “I’m planning a building with a lot of curves. It will have some interesting definition.”
People who attended public forums held in downtown Dartmouth as part of HRM By Design said they want more high-density residential buildings in the downtown core, noted Mitch Dickey, a city planner working on the proposed project.
But people are also very concerned with maintaining the character of the area, he added.
“This site is critical. It is behind a heritage building and faces public streets,” said Dickey. “I expect it’s going to be a highly-scrutinized process.”
The opportunity for partnering on “site improvements” on adjacent lands on the former Starr Manufacturing site and Shubenacadie Canal Corridor — both owned by the city — is an interesting component of the proposal, Dickey said. One of the improvements being discussed is the proposed “daylighting” of a section of the canal.
“Whether or not it will happen is still up in the air, but he (Dixon) could definitely help with that,” he said.
Dickey will be leading a public information meeting on the proposed development on Feb. 15 at Dartmouth High School. Dixon will also be there with some of the preliminary designs for the buildings.
[email protected]

fenwick16 · #**933** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 5:17 PM**

Do people in Dartmouth really want viewplanes bylaws? I can understand the need to protect heritage properties but limiting development just for the sake of viewplanes seems like a pointless addition of red tape. Such laws mainly benefit the people in the Halifax area with secure jobs (mainly the wealthy). To me the curtailing of development means that more Nova Scotians will need to move to Ontario and Alberta to look for jobs.

I think that it is time for HRM area politicians to think more about creating jobs for Nova Scotians instead of wasting developers time and money with needless bureaucracy. I would really like to see politicians in the Halifax area start thanking developers for the jobs that they create instead of throwing endless miles of red tape at them.

JET · #**934** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 5:30 PM**

[QUOTE=fenwick16;4696184]Do people in Dartmouth really want viewplanes bylaws? QUOTE]

As a person in Dartmouth, I do support protecting viewplanes. Some of the views are amazing. Makes sense to protect them. JET

Wishblade · #**935** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 5:37 PM**

[QUOTE=JET;4696221]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Do people in Dartmouth really want viewplanes bylaws? QUOTE]

As a person in Dartmouth, I do support protecting viewplanes. Some of the views are amazing. Makes sense to protect them. JET

I think the viewplanes should be restricted to the Dartmouth common and nothing more. They should be removing the brightwood viewplane, not adding more of them. I hope this proposal goes down in flames.

worldlyhaligonian · #**936** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 7:24 PM**

While we are at it, why don't we tear every building in Halifax/Dartmouth and then we would have even more views of the harbour.

In fact, we should make a policy stating that the only buildings in HRM have to be 2 stories and clad exclusively in vinyl siding (the most attractive building material).

Actually, lets make development completely illegal and revert to a hunter/gatherer society without annoying modern ideas like electricity and sanitation. It will be so great, and the view will make daily life so much more enjoyable. Economic development sounds like scary stuff to me. Buildings taller than 2 stories are the work of evil developers who are bent on nothing but creating a dark, evil city.

While we are at it, why don't we cut down all of the trees, as they are blocking many viewplanes. Also, tall people should all be eliminated, as they block my viewplanes.

Keith P. · #**937** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 8:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

While we are at it, why don't we tear every building in Halifax/Dartmouth and then we would have even more views of the harbour.

In fact, we should make a policy stating that the only buildings in HRM have to be 2 stories and clad exclusively in vinyl siding (the most attractive building material).

Actually, lets make development completely illegal and revert to a hunter/gatherer society without annoying modern ideas like electricity and sanitation. It will be so great, and the view will make daily life so much more enjoyable. Economic development sounds like scary stuff to me. Buildings taller than 2 stories are the work of evil developers who are bent on nothing but creating a dark, evil city.

While we are at it, why don't we cut down all of the trees, as they are blocking many viewplanes. Also, tall people should all be eliminated, as they block my viewplanes.

What a ridiculous post. Everybody knows that tall people need only to be banned from movie theaters.

Dartmouth viewplanes are a ridiculous subject. Why bother? Just more bureaucratic red tape that serves no practical purpose. Dartmouth should be lobbying for a downtown full of tall buildings, not putting obstacles in the way of that ever happening.

On the Agricola St project referenced: I am very dubious based only on the apparent lack of work done by anyone. No tenants lined up (or, according to my sources, even approached; apparently even the NSLC was caught off guard) and lots of weasel words about the enviro-friendly stuff they are going to "consider". Suuuuure. Nothing about this seems concrete.

sdm · #**938** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 9:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

What a ridiculous post. Everybody knows that tall people need only to be banned from movie theaters.

Dartmouth viewplanes are a ridiculous subject. Why bother? Just more bureaucratic red tape that serves no practical purpose. Dartmouth should be lobbying for a downtown full of tall buildings, not putting obstacles in the way of that ever happening.

On the Agricola St project referenced: I am very dubious based only on the apparent lack of work done by anyone. No tenants lined up (or, according to my sources, even approached; apparently even the NSLC was caught off guard) and lots of weasel words about the enviro-friendly stuff they are going to "consider". Suuuuure. Nothing about this seems concrete.

i also like the will be built to LEED standards.... there is no such thing. Its either is certified LEED or its not. There is a lot more to a LEED building then some energy efficency devices.

fenwick16 · #**939** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 9:20 PM**

Instead of protecting the viewplanes why not build a 600 foot observation tower near downtown Dartmouth; something tasteful like the Seattle Space Needle. Since it can't be built on the Halifax side, it would really attract people to Dartmouth. What an amazing view it would be; the harbour, the two bridges, Halifax skyline (and Dartmouth), the Dartmouth lakes .... This is a view that very few people in the HRM ever get to see since there isn't a vantage point that is high enough and airplanes normally don't fly over the HRM urban area.

(source: http://www.coryjon.com/seattle_space-needle_12-31-07_07.htm )

coolmillion · #**940** Posted **Feb 12, 2010, 9:28 PM**

On the topic of view planes - there's a little paradox here. Arguably the best feature of the views from Dartmouth is the Halifax skyline. Halifax view planes prevent tall buildings in many locations downtown. But if more were allowed, the views from Dartmouth would be enhanced.

View plane legislation is pretty common though, even in cities with lots of high rises. In Vancouver, for example, there are something like 29 protected views. Recently the city opened debate on whether to adjust them to allow more intensified development downtown. But, they are also considering adding new views to the list, not just taking away existing ones.

I think that a really positive feature that can come out of such discussions is the realization that if tall buildings are built in highly visible locations, they should have high quality design and materials. But I agree that the creation of rigid policies could scare away potential developments.